Take a Seat at our Chef’s Table
Something unexpected is going on behind the scenes at Epic. While you’re enjoying a perfectly served meal in the dining room, have you ever wondered what’s happening in the kitchen? Amidst controlled chaos of chefs in constant motion, fiery grills, gleaming stainless steel and fine cuisine plated to perfection sits a table waiting for you. It’s the Epic Chef’s Table – fondly referred to as The Rock.
The Chef’s Table is where your behind-the-scenes story unfolds at Epic. Taking a page from his favorite family movie “The Lion King,” as well as the phrase “Culinary Pride” etched in the range hood and the granite counter top, Chef Jamie Keating has dubbed this table The Rock. When you take a seat here, you become part of the kitchen’s plot and dialogue for the evening. With seating for up to eight, this intimate space puts you in the middle of the excitement of the kitchen. In fact the kitchen was built around The Chef’s Table, letting it become the center focus, allowing guests to get an eye-level view.
The experience begins with an introduction to the staff you’ll be spending the evening with and the journey they’ll be taking you on – from drinks to dessert. We invite you to make yourself at home in our kitchen, exploring how our delicacies are prepared.
Each meal is unique, with a new eight-course menu created, based on the chef’s current culinary vision. The evening’s tasting entertainment always starts with an amuse bouche to prepare your palate – perhaps a maple glazed pork belly paired with poached quail egg and pancetta foam. All prepared in front of your eyes, with painstaking attention to detail, served from under a glass dome. Not exactly the eggs and bacon cooked in your kitchen at home.
Uncork the festivities with a wine package to complement your courses. As you move from the preface to each chapter of the meal, it’s almost sensory overload. Beyond the variety of tastes, you’re immersed in the dance of the kitchen, with every course served with a side dish of camaraderie and orderly skill – balanced with tension and urgency. It’s that juxtaposition that allows for a laid-back, celebratory atmosphere – even though the food and presentation speak to sophistication and elegance.
By the time you reach the fifth course, the Intermezzo, your palate is ready for a rest with a lemon and lychee sorbet prepared with liquid nitrogen and accompanied by a burst of flavor from compressed watermelon. That’s when it seems more like a science lab than a kitchen. From cryovac to beakers and burners, chemistry is put to use to create artful tastes.
The lead character in this tasty tale reveals itself in Chapter VI with a main course such as filet of beef with Lardo Ibérico finished with a Béarnaise sauce, alongside braised cabbage and potato pavé. When you reach the Index with cheese and charcuterie and finally the Epilogue dessert, you’ll wish the story would never end. An unforgettable experience, the Chef’s Table evening is designed to continue on in your memories and have you coming back for more.
Before you leave, let the intoxicating effects settle in with coffee or cocktails back in our dining room bar area. The hustle and bustle of the kitchen will continue on behind the scenes while you unwind with family or friends. Savor the moment and remember what we say in the Epic kitchen …
“They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”
